毎週起きる
maishu okiru
every week wake up
Literally: Every week (毎週) + to wake up/to occur (起きる)
In 15 Seconds
- Describes a recurring weekly wake-up time or habit.
- Can also mean an event or problem occurs weekly.
- Essential for discussing schedules and personal discipline.
Meaning
This phrase describes the act of waking up at a specific time or in a certain way every single week. It is also used to describe events or problems that occur on a weekly basis.
Key Examples
3 of 6Talking about a weekend habit
毎週日曜日は、昼の12時に起きる。
Every Sunday, I wake up at 12 noon.
Explaining a work schedule
毎週月曜日は会議があるので、早めに起きる。
I wake up early every Monday because there is a meeting.
Complaining to a friend
毎週、隣の工事の音で起きるんだよね。
Every week, I wake up because of the construction noise next door.
Cultural Background
The phrase is often used to discuss 'service overtime' or recurring meetings that employees feel 'arise' inevitably every week. Weekly magazines (Shukansha) often use this phrase in headlines to describe recurring scandals or trends. Students use it to talk about weekly tests (shō-test) or club activities (bukatsu) that 'occur' every week. In big cities like Tokyo, train delays are so common they are often described as 'occurring every week' on certain lines.
The 'Problem' Verb
If you want to sound more natural when complaining about a recurring issue, use '{起|お}きる' instead of just 'ある' (to be).
Transitive Trap
Never use 'を' with '{起|お}きる'. It's always 'が' for the thing that is happening.
In 15 Seconds
- Describes a recurring weekly wake-up time or habit.
- Can also mean an event or problem occurs weekly.
- Essential for discussing schedules and personal discipline.
What It Means
This phrase is all about your weekly rhythm. It describes waking up at a specific time every week. Think of it as your internal or literal alarm clock. It is simple, direct, and very common in daily life. You use it to talk about your recurring habits. It captures that repetitive cycle of life. Sometimes, it also refers to things 'happening' every week. In Japanese, okiru covers both getting out of bed and events occurring.
How To Use It
You usually pair this with a specific time or day. For example, you might say 毎週6時に起きる. This means you wake up at 6:00 AM every week. You can also use it for feelings or states. If you feel tired every week, you can describe that routine. The grammar is very straightforward. Just place maishū (every week) before the verb okiru. It works as a habit-marker. It tells people this is not a one-time thing. It is your standard operating procedure.
When To Use It
Use this when chatting about your work schedule. It is perfect for telling friends about your weekend sleep habits. Use it when you are venting about early Monday mornings. It is great for texting someone about your routine. You can use it in a meeting to describe recurring issues. For example, a bug that 'wakes up' or occurs every week. It is a versatile building block for B1 level conversations. It helps you sound organized and consistent.
When NOT To Use It
Do not use this for things that happen every day. For daily habits, use mainichi instead of maishū. Avoid using it for one-off events that just happened once. If you woke up early only this morning, use okita. Do not use it for things that happen once a month. It is strictly for that seven-day cycle. Also, be careful in very formal ceremonies. There are more humble ways to talk about your schedule there. But for 90% of life, this phrase is your friend.
Cultural Background
Japan has a very strong culture of punctuality. Being a 'morning person' is often seen as a sign of discipline. There is a popular trend called asakatsu or 'morning activities.' Many people maishū wake up early for study or exercise. Routine provides a sense of stability in busy Japanese city life. Even the trains follow a strict weekly schedule. Talking about your 'wake-up' routine is a common icebreaker. It shows you are a reliable member of society.
Common Variations
You will often hear maishū okiteiru. This means you are currently in the habit of waking up. Another common one is maishū okirarenai. This means you 'cannot wake up' every week (usually on Mondays!). You might also see maishū okiru jikan. This refers to 'the time I wake up every week.' Adding yō ni shiteiru makes it a conscious effort. Like, 'I try to wake up every week at this time.'
Usage Notes
The phrase is neutral and very safe for B1 learners. Just remember that `okiru` is the dictionary form; use `okimasu` in professional settings or when speaking to people you don't know well.
The 'Problem' Verb
If you want to sound more natural when complaining about a recurring issue, use '{起|お}きる' instead of just 'ある' (to be).
Transitive Trap
Never use 'を' with '{起|お}きる'. It's always 'が' for the thing that is happening.
The Monday Blues
Japanese people often use this phrase to describe the 'heavy feeling' that occurs every Monday morning.
Examples
6毎週日曜日は、昼の12時に起きる。
Every Sunday, I wake up at 12 noon.
A very common way to describe a lazy weekend routine.
毎週月曜日は会議があるので、早めに起きる。
I wake up early every Monday because there is a meeting.
Shows a logical reason for the weekly habit.
毎週、隣の工事の音で起きるんだよね。
Every week, I wake up because of the construction noise next door.
Uses the phrase to express a recurring annoyance.
このシステムでは、毎週同じエラーが起きる。
In this system, the same error occurs every week.
Here, 'okiru' means 'to occur' rather than 'to wake up.'
毎週、猫が僕の顔の上に乗って起きる。
Every week, I wake up with my cat sitting on my face.
A funny, relatable domestic scenario.
最近は体が重くて、毎週起きるのが辛い。
Lately my body feels heavy, and it's hard to wake up every week.
Conveys a sense of physical or emotional struggle.
Test Yourself
Fill in the blank with the correct form of {起|お}きる.
{毎週月曜日|まいしゅうげつようび}に、なぜかおなかが{痛|いた}くなる{現象|げんしょう}が____。
The phenomenon (genshō) occurs naturally, so the intransitive '{起|お}きます' is correct.
Which sentence is more natural for a business report?
Regarding the weekly server crash:
This clearly states that a 'problem' (mondai) is 'occurring' (okite iru).
Complete the dialogue.
A: {毎週|まいしゅう}、{土曜日|どようび}は何時に{起|お}きるの？ B: ____。
When talking about yourself waking up, use '{起|お}きる'.
🎉 Score: /3
Visual Learning Aids
Practice Bank
3 exercises{毎週月曜日|まいしゅうげつようび}に、なぜかおなかが{痛|いた}くなる{現象|げんしょう}が____。
The phenomenon (genshō) occurs naturally, so the intransitive '{起|お}きます' is correct.
Regarding the weekly server crash:
This clearly states that a 'problem' (mondai) is 'occurring' (okite iru).
A: {毎週|まいしゅう}、{土曜日|どようび}は何時に{起|お}きるの？ B: ____。
When talking about yourself waking up, use '{起|お}きる'.
🎉 Score: /3
Frequently Asked Questions
5 questionsNo, you would use '{毎日起|まいにちお}きる' (Mainichi okiru) for every day.
It is neutral. For very formal situations, use '{発生|はっせい}する'.
Yes! You can say '{毎週|まいしゅう}いいことが{起|お}きる' (Good things happen every week).
'{起|お}きる' can mean waking up; '{起|お}こる' cannot. For events, they are interchangeable, but '{起|お}こる' is slightly more formal.
Use the transitive form: '{毎週|まいしゅう}（{人|ひと}）を{起|お}こす'.
Related Phrases
{毎週起|まいしゅうお}こる
synonymTo occur every week.
{毎週発生|まいしゅうはっせい}する
specialized formTo occur/break out every week.
{毎週繰|まいしゅうく}り{返|かえ}す
similarTo repeat every week.
{毎週|まいしゅう}のルーティン
builds onWeekly routine.
